Hoosiers Know the Challenge Ahead

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - How good is Indiana?

We're about to find out.

The Hoosiers (3-0) play at Cincinnati (2-1) on Saturday afternoon, a game rich in possibilities given the Bearcats' College Football Playoff history.

"It will be a good matchup," receiver Emery Simmons says. "Coach (Tom) Allen instills in us all the time we have to have that grit, that hunger.

"One of our sayings is you have to do dirty hard work in the dark. It's back to that. Go 1-0 every week. It's time to start over. Go 1-0 again."

Indiana could elevate its national standing with a Saturday victory against a program that last season went 13-1 with a playoff semifinal loss to Alabama, although the Hoosiers aren't focusing on that. This remains a next-game-is-the-biggest-game program.

"We take it each week," safety Bryant Fitzgerald says. "Coach Allen makes it a point that the next game is the biggest game. We're not worried about who we played or who we're about to play. We're focused on that next week."

Still, the challenge is formidable given Cincinnati's impressive talent and winning pedigree.

"Cincinnati is a good team," Fitzgerald says. "They were in the playoffs last year. They have a lot of guys back. It will be a great challenge for us to step up. I believe we're ready for it. This is what we've been working for all summer, to prove ourselves again."

Allen views this game in Big Ten-caliber terms.

"We feel like we are just playing a 10th Big Ten game," he says. "That is what it is for us. They are a program that have themselves in that position.

"Our guys are excited to go on the road for the first time and to be tested and see how much better our opponent can make us."

Last year's 38-24 loss to Cincinnati, when IU had early control, still stings.

"It ticked us off a little bit," Fitzgerald says, "but it gives us more of a greater focus. It's locking in.

"When you look at that game, it came down to a couple of plays that swung the momentum their way. It's about being locked into the details and doing the little things right. It's not worrying about Cincinnati being a playoff team, just doing our job and playing our game."

That job includes finding first-half consistency, a problem given IU has trailed at halftime in all three of its games.

"We have to have a complete game," Simmons says. "Be the first team to hit them in the mouth. (Sustain) what we do in the second half, and do it in the first half and continue that throughout the whole game."

Much was expected of a receiving group in transition, and much has been delivered. While Cam Camper and D.J. Matthews Jr. have been the biggest contributors (a combined 38 catches for 493 yards and three touchdowns), depth and versatility are everywhere. Twelve Hoosiers caught passes last Saturday. IU might need that kind of share-the-wealth approach again this Saturday.

That kind of depth, Simmons says, "Comes from the coaching we receive from (offensive coordinator Walt Bell and receivers coach Adam Henry).

"We have to make plays. It doesn't matter who's on the field, we should be able to make plays. The same plays that Cam makes, Malachi (Holt-Bennett) should make. The same plays D.J. makes, I should make.

"It's a bond in all of us trusting in each other that we can make them day in and day out."

When trust becomes reality, Simmons adds, everyone knows, "It's time to get it rolling. With us having so many guys catching the ball, it's building that trust in the quarterbacks. Now it's free reign. We get rolling even more.

"These couple of games were growing pains. We got past it. Coach Bell loves all of our guys. He trusts all of us."

Trust extends to a defense that has yet to hit peak performance, although it's had some major moments.

IU has had key red-zone and goal-line stops that were critical in cliff-hanger wins over Illinois and Western Kentucky.

"It gives us confidence and momentum," Fitzgerald says. "We hate to give up big plays and have them rush the ball or get into the red zone, but it's a different mentality when you get into the red zone.

"They got down there, but we have to have the next-play mentality. If we can prevent them from scoring touchdowns, if we hold them to field goals or no points, that's huge. That gives the offense momentum. It allows them to do the work."

Takeaways also could be crucial, and outside linebacker Myles Jackson could again play a big role. He had an interception and a fumble recovery against Western Kentucky.

"It's a spark," Jackson says. "Everyone wants to do his job and make plays. (Defensive line coach Paul Randolph) says the ball finds energy, so if you play with relentless effort, the ball will find you. That's what happened. We got a spark from that."

Another spark came from Jaylin Williams blocking Western Kentucky's overtime field goal attempt. That set up Charles Campbell's game-winning kick.

Luck had nothing to do with the block, Jackson says.

"Every time we talk about field goals, we have this chant, 'We block kicks!'

"A lot of teams might take it off when it's time for a field goal. We see it as another chance to make a play. That's because we emphasize it so much. We count it as a takeaway. It turned out how we wanted it to."

Indiana University Athletics

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Charles Campbell

Cam Camper

Bryant Fitzgerald

Myles Jackson

D.J. Matthews Jr.

Emery Simmons

Jaylin Williams

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